Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and aircraft for performing image analysis for aiding refueling operations. A method includes a method includes receiving a two-dimensional (2D) image from a camera of a first device, determining 2D keypoints of a second device located within the 2D image based on a predefined point model of a generalized version of the second device, determining a 6 degree-of-freedom (6DOF) pose of the second device using the 2D keypoints, and outputting an estimated position of at least a component of the second device based on the 6DOF pose.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is methods, systems, and aircraft for performing image analysis for aiding refueling operations. A tanker aircraft includes a single camera, a refueling boom, a camera configured to generate a 2D image of the refueling boom, a processor, and non-transitory computer readable storage media storing code. The code being executable by the processor to perform operations comprising receiving the 2D image from the single camera, determining 2D keypoints of the refueling boom located within the 2D image based on a predefined point model of the refueling boom, determining keypoints in 3D space based on the 2D keypoints to produce 3D keypoints, determining a 6DOF pose using the 2D keypoints and the 3D keypoints, and estimating a position of a tip of the refueling boom based on the 6DOF pose.

Abstract: A method for performing automated refueling operations includes receiving a two-dimensional (2D) image of a device associated with in-flight refueling operations between a receiver aircraft and a tanker aircraft, identifying keypoints on the device in the 2D image, projecting the keypoints to three-dimensional (3D) space to produce 3D keypoints, comparing the 3D keypoints to a previously stored 3D model of the device to produce a confidence value, and automatically controlling the refueling operations in response to the confidence value.